Meadows of Red
by i-love-yami
Summary: A stranger's past collides with the lives of the Kenshin and the gang. Will a flame spark? or will the flame be engulfed by red.
1. daydreaming

meadows of red-  
  
disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin   
  
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Act 1- daydreaming  
  
Kaoru stared blankly at the wide sunset that flowed across the sky. It was as if God himself, was creating a beautiful painting just for her. While she sat there she saw two swallows glide from tree to tree and then sore high into the heavens. She smiled and sighed deeply and glared at the deep tones in the autumn trees, the yellows, browns, oranges, and reds...  
  
......red.....  
  
she smirked when thinking of the rurouni, remembering his warm, loving violet eyes. Not long after her eyelids slowly began to lowered a little bit at a time...  
  
He slowly made his way down the halls without a sound. He was so close to that kitchen, so close to that miso soup, his mouth began to water. Encouraged, he scurried down the last hallway, but came to a sudden stop and raced backwards toward the right wall and placed his back straight against the wall, hoping not to be noticed. After a minute or two he carefully looked at the sleeping Kaoru.   
  
Gasp! 'She's just sitting like an idiot!' he snickered. 'I could either (A) devour whatever is in the kitchen or (B) tackle Kaoru to the ground.' He pondered for a second, then grinned he detached himself from the wall and came right behind Karou. His mouth gapped open barring deadly fangs, his saliva poured onto the ground as if it was a miniature waterfall. His eyes targeted straight for his victim. He was ready for the attack and stomped one foot forward BUT----  
  
fell.  
  
His head flying forward and his feet in the air, he tumbled over three times and came to a stop on his back with a loud 'thump'. Kaoru just waking up, gazed at the bruised little runt. There was a long silence. Kaoru finally broke the silence with a simple and lazy question   
  
"Yahiko, What were you doing?" Yahiko slowly got up brushed himself off and replied with a simple "Nothing." , disappointed, and embarrassed Yahiko ran off to cry to himself in a lonely corner of the dojo.   
  
"Ya!" Kaoru looked up directly at the rebel that some what resembled a chicken. "I don't want slackers in my dojo," he clucked "Now get off yer butt and get sweeping!"  
  
Kaoru continued to look at the now grinning Sagara Sanosuke. Then she went back to her original state of daydreaming. He then went close to her neck and breathed "Thinking about your dear Kenshin again?" She flushed.  
  
SLAP! That was the last thing poor Sano heard before he hit the ground. He found himself laying 5 feet away where him and Kaoru had their encounter. "My God, women! I was just kidding around!!" he said while rubbing his head. Kaoru was just outside of the room and turned around to Sano and had her familiar 'don't fuck with me' face on "You seem to kid a lot.". She then continued on her way to her room. Yahiko had just finished crying and said to Sano, "What happened?" Sano got up and said aloud, "Damn, she's acting EXTRA bitchy today."  
  
Kaoru sighed and was just about to go into her room to take a long nap but was noticed by  
  
"Megumi?"   
  
"HI!!! How are you these days? eh? Man, this dojo is a wreck! How can you live in this dump? Well, it's always getting blown away by assassins, ex-samurai, soldiers, people who want revenge, and just dumb people who want to pick a fight! I feel so sorry for you!" She turned around and saw Kenshin at the door where she came in. "Himura! Can you hold this for me? Please? Thanks! You're always so nice to me." She said while throwing her coat at him.   
  
"Oro." Kenshin fell backwards but was not noticed by the two girls.  
  
"I don't really feel like doing anything today Megumi." Kaoru said tiredly, "Oh come on," she nudged Kaoru playfully, "I just got my paycheck and I wanna go shopping for a new saifu (purse) with somebody!" Kaoru looked at the ground then a Megumi again. "And besides you haven't been out in the market place in a while!" she pleaded. Kaoru looked at Kenshin and asked if he was okay without her presence there. "We will be fine here at the dojo, Kaoru-dono." he replied. "That's great! Come on, Let's go!". "Okay just let me get dressed. (For she was still in her gi and hakama)." She was just about to go into her room when she felt someone's hand held on to hers, she turned around quickly and saw the Rurouni hold onto her. "Promise me something Kaoru-dono." Kaoru blushed, but did not look away.   
  
"Promise me...that....you'll be safe."  
  
She stared at the wanderer's lavender eyes for sometime, then said  
  
"I promise...Kenshin."  
  
He smiled and said "Good. Well, I'll leave you to do you're shopping. Have a wonderful time." he then took his leave out of the room. Megumi saw this whole scene. She slyly said "Oooo, seems that you two had a little moment right there." Suddenly fox ears popped on her head she then began her famous laugh..."Ohhhhhohohohohoho!!" Kaoru gave her and evil look and then entered her room to change.  
  
She came out with a nice slimming soft yellow kimono with a light orange and white flower design across the right side of her chest, on the maemigoro (front main section of kimono) and ushiromigoro (rear main section of kimono), and on both tamoto (sleeve pouch). With a light purple coloration of her obi with a dark black pattern on it.   
  
Megumi was shocked at how Kaoru, the raccoon, could have such a beautiful kimono stored in a little dojo like this. Jealous, she snorted "That's uh...pretty dress you got there Kaoru. Where'd you get it." "My father gave it to me." she replied as they both stepped out the door. "Oh." suddenly all that jealously went away. Megumi then saw Himura waving at both of them, she quietly waved back as did Kaoru. And headed off out to the market place.

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Happy 4th of July Everybody!


	2. now hiring

meadows of red-  
  
disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Act 2- now hiring  
  
Kaoru's feet ached, they had been out shopping for a purse, for time more than enough spent, she wanted to go home, yet she wanted a little time out of the dojo. She longed to be composed and carefree, at least for a little while. Megumi came back from looking at expensive jewelry and saw Kaoru's long face. "Aww..what's the matter? Don't you like shopping for junk that you don't need?" She said with a grin. "Yeah I do. I'm just a little tired that's all." Kaoru replied. She turned to Megumi and gave her a weak smile. The fox-woman had one eyebrow cocked up for a moment, but soon her expression turned into a sly smile.   
  
"Hey, I have an, idea..how 'bout we go bring some sake home with us and get totally wasted." she nudged. "How 'bout it?...hmmmm?" Kaoru gazed at the dirt ground for a moment and looked up with a grin a mile long plastered across her face. "I supposed that means yes, eh?" Megumi giggled.  
  
"I'll take two jugs please.." Kaoru said. "Getting drunk tonight, ladies?" the shopper replied. "Heheh. Maybe..." Megumi giggled again. Kaoru sighed while she handled one of the jugs and headed towards the dojo. "Oy Kaoru! Wait for me!"   
  
"Man you were right about the dojo, it does look like a dump." Kaoru stated. "I know, I'm always right." Megumi snorted. "We need more help at the dojo, I mean Kenshin helps a lot, but there is still some doors to be fixed and floors to be cleaned. I'm thinking about getting another person to help out with the dojo." Megumi nodded in agreement. "I might come and help with the dojo too, I'll tell Gramps to come too." Kaoru smiled and said "That's great! We need all the help we can get."  
  
"Maybe I could be of help." Kaoru and Megumi both turned to see a man with black hair and dark green eyes in a black gi and white hakama. "I believe you ladies said you needed help with your dojo. Am I correct?" Kaoru was stunned at his soft voice, it was soothing to her ear. She flushed. "Uh, yes." He smiled meekly "Uh, well the thing is---"  
  
"You're hired." The fox said.  
  
"Uh, tha--"  
  
"Feel free to do whatever you want."  
  
"Oka--"  
  
"Make yourself comfortable in our dojo."  
  
"Um, wel--"  
  
"You can even take off your gi if you want to."  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"The dojo is yours to clean and fix."  
  
Kaoru watched Megumi laugh evilly, and she smirked. "You can come over sometime tomorrow, if you like." She paused," Well we have to going, Good-Bye." Kaoru turned to take her leave.  
  
"Uh! W-Wait!" Kaoru turned around. "May it be possible for this one to dwell in your home. I have little money, so I will pay you my debts in doing household tasks." Kaoru waited for a moment. She looked at Megumi who was clearly trying to tell Kaoru to say 'yes'. "Okay, you can stay, you don't have to pay me in coins, just clean up the dojo."   
  
"Thank you, I am forever grateful." the man said. Kaoru flushed again. "Uh, well, um..."  
  
"Here let me carry these for you." he gently grabbed the two jugs away from Kaoru's hands. He smiled again. "Ladies first." Letting both Kaoru and Megumi lead the way to the dojo.  
  
Fox ears slowly grew on Megumi's head again. "Oy, Kaoru." She whispered. "We just hit the jackpot!" "Nani?" "Look! we got a hot guy who is probably around..." she stopped then slowly turned her head to the man back of them. She stared, until the man noticed her and smiled at her gaze. She turned her head quickly. "Uh....probably around 24..at least." "You can tell?!" Kaoru questioned. "I'm just guessing now shut up!" ".......a hot guy...lugging around BEER for........US!!" "You know what this means don'tcha?" The raccoon girl made a pondering face, and move her head left to right. Megumi grinned and whispered something in her ear. "MEGUMI!!!" Kaoru shouted. "Shhh...shhhh.." she giggled. The man had a puzzled look on his face. Kaoru made a 'don't worry about it' face and then smacked Megumi over the head. "Oww..."   
  
Huff-Huff.....Heave-Heave... "I didn't know your dojo was such a long way." the man gasped., then fell on the ground. Kaoru replied, "We took the short-cut." You could see the man's face drop a little. "Oh my GOD!!," Megumi's hair flipped in the air while she spun around to the man. "What's the matter Megumi!?" Kaoru said with a concerned face. Megumi's face was centimeters away from the man's face. There was silence...  
  
The woman put up one finger and grinned, "We haven't asked your name yet have we?" Both Kaoru and the man sweat dropped. "Well..? What is it?" she asked.   
  
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GAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!! CLIFFHANGER!!! I LAUGH AT YOUR pain...=D But anywayz...people...I...need...FEEDBACK!! I don't care if its good or bad!! (try to be nice when you say stuff I need to work on, please) I'd just like to be happy ONCE! I need at least 8 reviews... then i will update..grins nervously   
  
And now for the thank yous! I'd like to thank Rexeh for reviewing!! (VAN AND HITOMI ARE SUCH A CUTE COUPLE!! hehe..) And I'd like to thank Lady Battousai456 for reviewing also. (NO!! YOU KILLED IT WHEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING GREAT!! T-T)  
  
THANK YOU!! 


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